Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, That, subject to the
provisions of this Act, and upon issuance of the proclamation
required by section 8 (c) of this Act, the State of Alaska is hereby
declared to be a State of the United States of America, is declared
admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the other States in
all respects whatever, and the constitution formed pursuant to the
provisions of the Act of the Territorial Legislature of Alaska entitled,
“An Act to provide for the holding of a constitutional convention
to prepare a constitution for the State of Alaska; to submit the con-
stitution to the people for adoption or rejection; to prepare for the
admission of Alaska as a State; to make an appropriation; and
setting an effective date”, approved March 19, 1955 (Chapter 46,
Session Laws of Alaska, 1955), and adopted by a vote of the people
of Alaska in the election held on April 24, 1956, is hereby found to
be republican in form and in conformity with the Constitution of the
United States and the principles of the Declaration of Independence,
and is hereby accepted, ratified, and confirmed.

[in margin]
Territory.

sec. 2. The State of Alaska shall consist of all the territory,
together with the territorial waters appurtenant thereto, now
included in the Territory of Alaska.

[in margin]
Constitution.

sec. 3. The constitution of the State of Alaska shall always be
republican in form and shall not be repugnant to the Constitution
of the United States and the principles of the Declaration of
Independence.

[in margin]
Compact with
U.S.

sec. 4. As a compact with the United States said State and its
people do agree and declare that they forever disclaim all right and
title to any lands or other property not granted or confirmed to the
State or its political subdivisions by or under the authority of this
Act, the right or title to which is held by the United States or is sub-
ject to disposition by the United States, and to any lands or other
property (including fishing rights), the right or title to which may
be held by any Indians, Eskimos, or Aleuts (hereinafter called natives)
or is held by the United States in trust for said natives; that all such
lands or other property, belonging to the United States or which may
belong to said natives, shall be and remain under the absolute juris-
diction and control of the United States until disposed of under its
authority, except to such extent as the Congress has prescribed or
may hereafter prescribe, and except when held by individual natives
in fee without restrictions on alienation: Provided, That nothing
contained in this Act shall recognize, deny, enlarge, impair, or other-
wise affect any claim against the United States, and any such claim
shall be governed by the laws of the United States applicable thereto;
and nothing in this Act is intended or shall be construed as a finding,
interpretation, or construction by the Congress that any law applicable
thereto authorizes, establishes, recognizes, or confirms the validity or
invalidity of any such claim, and the determination of the applicability
or effect of any law to any such claim shall be unaffected by anything
in this Act: And provided further, That no taxes shall be imposed by
said State upon any lands or other property now owned or hereafter
acquired by the United States or which, as hereinabove set forth, may
belong to said natives, except to such extent as the Congress has pre-
scribed or may hereafter prescribe, and except when held by individual
natives in fee without restrictions on alienation.